Meet the “Judas” Cast – Elizabeth Tate

Meet the cast! Here we talk to Elizabeth Tate, who is playing Loretta and Mary Magdalene in “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.” We talked about faith, history, those rumors about Mary and of course, Jesus.

Make your plans to come see “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,” running at the Liddy Doenges Theatre at the Tulsa PAC March 31-April 9th.

1) Tell us a little about yourself!
My name is Elizabeth Tate and I am 18 years old. I’ve been active in theatre for about 6 years now. I have been a resident of Sand Springs for my entire life, but in May I will be moving to Emporia, KS to participate in Emporia State University’s summer stock theatre program. I’ll be attending ESU next fall where I will pursue a double-major in theatre and psychology.

2) Who are you playing in the show?
I play Loretta and Mary Magdalene.

3) What initially drew you to the show?
I quit my high school’s drama program (for many, many complicated reasons) in November and was going through a theatrical dry-spell. I had always wished that I had time to do non-school productions, and because I finally had the time, I began watching Facebook for audition notices. I found Theatre Pops’s Judas announcement and the rest is history. I love that Judas is so bold and full of heart.

4) Tell us a little about your character? (What do you know about them historically, what do you like about them, what can we expect from them)
I think that one of the most intriguing things about “Mary Mags” is that her image has been so twisted throughout time. As she says in the play, “some people think I was a whore,” but this is simply not true. I also think that she is very admirable, and her devotion to Jesus sticks out in particular. She stood with him often when no one else would, even as he was crucified. I like to put my own kind of twist on Mary to make her a bit more down-to-earth.

5) What have your challenges been in approaching this script?
I really don’t know much about the biblical figures in the show. My only preexisting knowledge of Mary Magdalene was that I gained from watching Jesus Christ Superstar, so it has been very interesting to learn about her and her relationship with Jesus. I’ve always enjoyed playing historical characters, and I think it’s important to find a balance between staying true to history’s image of the character and making it your own.

6) What is the most important message of the show to you?
That everyone, even the “least-est creature,” is deserving of love.
That many of the biblical characters we put on such high pedestals are a lot deeper than we think. Their motives aren’t all black-and-white.

7) what do you think audiences can expect from this show?
I think audiences will enjoy seeing characters that are very familiar with in different, new ways. I hope the show challenges their views and lets them see these characters as real people.

8) what’s your faith background? How has that affected your approach to this show?
I’m not really sure where I fall on the religious spectrum. Honestly, I like to do my own thing and worship how I choose. When I was younger, my family and I were very active in the church, but after we were asked to no longer bring my autistic brother to services, we decided to stop going altogether. A few years ago, I tried going to church again. I went to a weekly bible study class, which was alright, but I never truly felt at home in the church. Still, I try to keep an open mind. I know that these experiences regard specific churches and I’m confident that I’ll one day find one that fits me. If not, I’ll keep doing my thing! I think that my faith background (or lack thereof) allows me to view the show in a non-biased way.

9) What would you say to someone who is debating whether or not to come see the show?
DO IT!! Even if you are someone like me who is kind of unsure about their feelings regarding faith, you will appreciate this story and these characters as a tale about human nature.

10) This show is funny and moving. What do you hope people will come away with?
There’s no denying that the show has very strong language and subject material, but don’t let that deter you from seeing it. Try to stay open and you might walk away understanding Judas, Jesus, and friends more than you did before. I hope that people will be emotionally affected by this show because that’s what good art does. I hope it will be a show that people can talk and debate about: a show that stays with them.